Redemption Song

In 1996, Washington Bullets owner Abe Pollin grew weary of the gun violence that killed, among others, his friend Yitzhak Rabin, and decided that his basketball team needed a new name. Among the five finalists offered to the public for consideration, only the Sea Dogs had any charm. And that charm was mostly due to the fact that the moniker was so...weird. Or at least out of place in a town known more for Blue Dogs than seafaring.

As we well know, Sea Dogs lost out to the singularly uninspiring Wizards. In their 19 seasons since the name change, the Wiz have won a total of four playoff series, playing to an aggregate regular season winning percentage of .424. It's obvious to most observers that the Washington Sea Dogs would've been a far more successful franchise.

Now, two decades late, Pollin's successor Ted Leonsis has finally taken the first steps towards rectifying this egregious error. Next year, Washington will field a G-League franchise for the first time, to play in a new arena in Southeast.

That team will be called the Capital City Go-Go.



I love this all the way down. It's local and unique, paying homage to something indisputably and exclusively Washington. The name evokes energy and stamina and groove, all good things from a hoops perspective.

If you're looking for Gheorghemas presents for your favorite blogger, he wears a medium t-shirt/hoodie. And if Ted Leonsis were to think even bigger, the Capital City Go-Go would make for one hell of a cool NBA team name.